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The former Trentham Commercial Hotel at 51 High St, Trentham has sold.

A former Trentham hotel chock-full of oddities has been sold — and the buyer has foregone an offer to have their pick.

It comes as sales in the Daylesford region have tripled as Melburnians look to retreat from the big smoke, according to the agency behind the deal.

From a bumper car built in the ‘70s, to antique pharmacy display cabinets and a mechanised piano player rescued from a shooting gallery in Queensland, the old Commercial Hotel at 51 High Street has had some unusual guests in recent years.

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Despite the $1.523 million sale being on the high side of the property’s $1.45-$1.595 million asking price and owners Slaven and Jean Berglez offering to throw in some items, a lot of their collection is still up for grabs.

“The buyer has not asked for any of the items,” Ms Berglez said.

Slaven and Jean Berglez with some of the oddities they have collected. Picture: Alex Coppel

With a sea-change ahead of them, the pair are open to offers on many of the items including John, the mechanised piano player, and an old meat safe, via their Wooden Duck page on Facebook — though they are pulling a few items from the sales list.

“Slaven wants to keep the telephone box,” she added.

Photos throughout the hotel show the extent of the Berglez’s collection.

The pair said they would miss all the great stories locals used to share with them about the hotel and the town’s past, but said they intended to extend happy hour at their next residence to compensate.

In addition to enjoying stories from the locals, the new owner plans to turn the local landmark into a sprawling family home, according to Belle Property Hocking Stuart’s Will Walton.

The main street view from the hotel’s upstairs balcony is one of the best in town.

“We believe it will be a family home,” Mr Walton said.

“They are originally from Melbourne, but had been living locally and I understand they love the building.”

He said the buyers had emerged with immediate interest for the former hotel and made an offer well above those being discussed by three other parties.

Even the one-time hotel’s kitchen features a range of unusual items.

Mr Walton said the hotel’s sale had been the first in a surge in sales for the region.

“Normally we do 8-10 sales a month,” Mr Walton said.

“We expect to get to 24 this month — and that’s almost all Melbourne buyers.”

He said feedback from buyers had revealed a mix of thinking, from wanting to put the city’s higher exposure to COVID-19 behind them to appreciating the benefits of country life in anticipation of working more from home in the future.

The hotel also retains many period details including decorative ceilings.

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The post Trentham Commercial Hotel: Old pub sold, oddities remain for sale appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Celebrity stylist Joh Bailey has sold his Bowral property.

Wide Acre, the Southern Highlands retreat of the ­celebrity hair stylist Joh ­Bailey and his professional equestrian partner Michael Christie, has found its next owner in just five days.

The 12ha High Range property attracted a bidding war between prospective buyers after the Belle Property Bowral listing agent Di Dixon held 20 inspections in just four days.

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The property was extremely popular.

It sold for around $3.5 million.

“The phones were running hot from the second the property was listed,” Dixon said.

“I fielded over 140 email and phone call inquires, some as far flung as ­Singapore.”

Dixon apparently sec­ured around $3.5 million.

Bailey, who opened a salon in Bowral back in 2015, said the quick sale wasn’t foreseen.

“I was so thrilled with the five-day turnaround on the property,” Bailey told me.

“I really didn’t expect it in this climate.”

Bailey was thrilled with the sale. Picture: John Appleyard

It was bought by Bailey and his partner in 2016.

Dixon sold the property to Bailey four years ago.

“It was perfect for their horses and their lifestyle,” Dixon said, but now the ­couple were trading up for more space for themselves and for their 20 horses.

They bought it for $2.05 million in 2016 having previously had an estate at The Oaks. The couple renovated every aspect at Wide Acre, with even the horses kept in designer digs.

It’s easy to see why it was so popular.

They added a five box ­stable barn, six paddocks and a round yard.

They had planned to get married at the property in mid-March, however had to cancel due to the announcement of COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

The post Celebrity hair stylist Joh ­Bailey sells Bowral retreat in five days appeared first on realestate.com.au.